Calling Echoes
by Soaring Silence
Summary: Lucy ran and ran, trying to escape him, though she still felt the dark magic behind her. She had to get away - fast. Suddenly, something snagged her foot. Her eyes went as dark as the hallway around her . . .
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I**

Lucy ran and ran, trying to escape him, though she still felt the dark magic behind her. She had to get away - fast.

Unsuccessfully thinking of a way to escape, the blonde decided to keep running. She hoped there would be an opening in the brick-shaped stone walls around her. Her brown eyes darted from one side of the long hallway to the other, searching for anything that could aid her.

"You can't run forever . . ." a voice that seemed to be in her head kept whispering. Each time, cold shivers went up Lucy's spine.

"Go away!" she shouted, gasping and breathing heavily. She lost count of how long she had been running. All she knew was that she had to find a way to escape.

Suddenly, something snagged her foot. Her eyes went as dark as the hallway around her.

"No!" she screamed, wishing she could teleport somewhere safer. The cracked, mossy stone around her seemed to edge closer and closer. The girl felt suffocated. Just when she thought it couldn't get worse, unwanted magic wrapped itself around her leg, then the other, then it slowly made its way up to her lower back.

She screamed again, but it was cut short due to a hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened as she stared up at the man. She couldn't see what he was wearing due to the lack of light, but she guessed it was black with a yellow collar sticking out, facing forward.

"Hush," the black wizard suggested.

Lucy bit his hand. "Never! Let me go!"

"Feisty, I see," he commented. "We can fix that. Come along quietly and I won't hurt you . . . Yet."

"Like I'd agree to something as ridiculous as that, Zeref!" the blonde retorted, struggling to free herself.

Zeref created an orb of magic in his hands with ease. "Quiet," he repeated. He was about to throw the orb at the struggling girl when a burst of bright flame washed into the room, extinguishing the black wizard's power.

The fire seemed to hurry over to Lucy. It burnt the evil magic off her legs and lower back, careful not to scorch the poor girl. Her eyes were closed, but when she opened them, she had to squint to see anything.

"What's with all this light all of a sudden!?" she exclaimed, trying to shield her eyes with her hand.

"Follow me," a new voice said. It felt warm and welcoming. Lucy glanced at Zeref before getting up and looking around, letting her eyes adjust to the new change in lighting.

Spotting a glow towards her left, she noticed how it seemed to wait for her. She also realized that it was in a different passageway instead of the unending hallway that she'd spent so long running in.

Not wanting to waste time and risk getting caught again, Lucy followed the flickering light. Soon enough, she was briefly blinded as the western sun welcomed the girl.

"Outside?" she murmured, confused. She pushed away the thought, just relieved that she was alive and safe. She quickly spun her head around, looking everywhere for the brilliant flame that saved her life. Unfortunately, she never found even a trace of it anywhere, as if it never existed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

"Hello?" Lucy called. "Is anybody out there?"

The girl realized that whatever saved her was gone and, admitting defeat, she found a nearby log and sat down. It seemed strong and trustworthy, though it obviously had been decomposing for some time. It was hollow, the outer ring only about two inches thick.

Just when she began her thought process, something cracked below her. She looked down as the log, apparently not stable enough to support her weight, collapsed under her; she fell on her butt with an _oof!_

Muttering angrily to herself, the blonde got up and patted the dirt off her rear end. She narrowed her eyes at what was left of the old log. "Stupid thing... I'm not that heavy, you know!"

Lucy looked around at her surroundings. She nearly gasped at how beautiful it was. To her left, the sun was setting; its warm blanket of orange and red tucking it into bed. On the horizon, a few bare hills rose ever so slightly. To the right, more hills – steeper and taller than the opposite side. There were two trees standing next to each other, not too far from where the girl was. She smiled at the thought that those two could possibly be partners; going out on adventures together and having a blast.

A pang of longing struck her heart. Oh, how she wished she could have a partner of her own. She wanted nothing more than to have someone by her side. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so alone…

Lucy pushed those emotions away, turning her curious gaze forward. In front of her was a deep forest of oak trees, some small and others the opposite. A small, worn-out path meandered through the underbrush, trailing blindly along. It was almost too faint for the blonde to determine where it started, or where it was at any point for that matter.

She slid her stare from the path to the forest again. It looked dark and menacing, but something was calling to her. Something that would soon bring her out of her sad, lonely shell. Something that would enlighten her spirit and urge her to keep going. Something that would change her life forever…

She began to doubt if she really should go into the forest. Again, however, her train of thought was interrupted. This time it was due to a sudden, sharp scraping sound. Her eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder.

"Where is she..." she heard in a low tone. Then, louder, "Where are you?"

She listened as the footsteps grew closer, her heart rate increasing each second. _I have to get out of here!_ she thought.

She looked around, seeing that the forest in front of her was the only way to escape. She quickly fled into the trees, not daring to look back.

In the safety of the forest, Lucy used any foliage she could hide behind. She wasn't about to hand herself over, especially not now. Whenever she heard a sound, she quickly bolted up a tree, clinging onto the trunk while sitting on one of its branches. Each time the blonde stared wide-eyed at the ground, expecting something scary to appear.

Though she was more focused on trying to stay safe, the girl couldn't stop thinking about that voice. The one that saved her. She wondered if it was just her imagination.

She shook her head. "No... It wasn't my imagination. It couldn't have been. That voice... It sounded so real."

Lucy suddenly realized she didn't have any shelter for the long night ahead of her. Worse than that, it was getting really cold. She had no idea how to start a fire, either. Besides, she was surrounded on all sides by trees. Tall, short, thick, thin. Even if she manages to light a fire, it would spread.

The girl tugged at her thin leather jacket, pulling the gray hood over her head. She would have wore a warmer one, but this one was her favorite. It was stylish and cute on her, though it didn't guarantee any warmth. Of course, she didn't plan on being trapped in a pitch-black deathtrap or stuck in a forest alone at night. She wore a blue skirt that barely covered her butt, give or take an inch. Under her jacket, she had a blue-and-white zip-up shirt on. It had no sleeves, which was another reason she was cold. Her feet were encased in high black boots, no socks.

Lucy kept walking, hoping she could leave the forest soon and find a town or village nearby. She could leave in the morning. The thought of warmth and a decent bed to sleep in drove the now-freezing girl on. She kept her eyes open, expecting to see the edge of the trees nearing. _This place can't be that big,_ she thought.

For about an hour, the temperature lowered and lowered, and the girl's eyes got droopier and droopier. She stumbled and tripped a few times here and there, but she got back up and continued on. _I can't give up... I'm almost there... I know it..._

Before long, she couldn't stay awake any longer. When she tripped and fell to the ice-cold earth floor, she didn't have the energy to get back up. Her whole body felt numb, and she felt too languid to move even a single finger. Her brown eyes slowly closed until the chocolate pools disappeared and the world went dark... again.

* * *

I hope you're enjoying my story so far! I'll post the next two chapters when I can, but I can't give an exact schedule for the releases... I'll try my best to get them in here for you guys, though! :) It'll most likely be once a week, give or take.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

A familiar warmth covered the blonde-haired girl. _Warm and welcoming,_ she remembered, trying to think back to the time she felt it. It had to be recently, but she couldn't place it.

For a moment, she thought she was a kid again, with the morning sun beaming down on her bed. It felt similar to this warmth she felt now, though the sun could never be quite as lovely.

Lucy opened her eyes, half expecting to find herself at home and in her bed, with maids ready to tend to her every wish or bringing her to visit her father — though he was frequently too busy to bother with her.

As her chocolate eyes grew wider, the memories hit her like a ton of bricks. _That's right,_ she remembered. _I ran away._

She turned her attention to the forest around her, but instead of being greeted by the dark, daunting forest, she found the sunlight peeking through the trees. The morning sunlight felt nice on her skin, especially since it was still a little cold outside.

 _Outside. Cold. Forest._ She was still there, where she had collapsed! She hadn't noticed the warm circle of earth around her until now, when she looked down. The ground was covered in a thin layer of frost, all except in the spot she was in. Her eyes went wide as the familiar voice that saved her greeted her from behind.

"You're awake," it said gently. It sounded like a young man, probably a little older than her.

She turned, staring at a flaming phoenix, who stared back at her with black orbs for eyes.

"W-Who are you?" she found herself asking. She frantically tried fixing her mistake. "Er... I… Um… T-Thank you. F-For saving me."

Her cheeks were flushed, but he didn't seem to notice. "No problem. I'm Natsu Dragneel."

"Lucy Heartfilia." The phoenix seemed to smile at her. Lucy wasn't sure how to react. "How did you know I was in trouble back there?"

Just as she asked the question, Natsu suddenly tackled her to the ground, his body still ablaze. "Get down!"

Lucy hardly had time to react before a dark wave of black magic shot through the forest, right above her and Natsu's heads.

She thought the flames would consume and burn her, but they didn't seem to have any intention of doing so. They simply grazed her skin with their warmth, retreating as Natsu got off her.

He stood up, looking in the direction of Zeref's magic, a scowl on his face.

Within a few heartbeats, the dark mage himself appeared over the nearby hill. His red eyes found Lucy on the ground, then they darted over to Natsu. " _You_ ," Zeref murmured at him.

"Yeah," the phoenix replied. "It's me. And this time-" He spread his wings and took a challenging step forward. "I'll burn your darkness to ashes!"

"I'd like to see that." Lucy couldn't decide if the dark mage actually meant that, or if he was just accepting the challenge.

"Stay back, Lucy," Natsu told her, not tearing his gaze away from the growing dark cloud in front of them.

The blonde nodded quickly, suddenly aware that the two wouldn't wait until she was at safer ground to commence their battle. She scrambled down the hill, nearly falling on her face. She only turned back when she was climbing up the next hill, a much steeper one. Unfortunately, it seemed like the only safe spot at the moment.

"Now," Zeref said in a voice that made Lucy shiver. "You'll finally have a chance to kill me, END."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV**

 _END? As in,_ THE _END?_ Lucy's thoughts spun in her head. She had heard about it before, but she never thought she'd actually meet him in person, let alone be saved by him.

Natsu crouched, suddenly taking off into the air, his flaming phoenix wings outstretched. With a mighty bellow, a string of fire shot towards Zeref.

The dark mage stepped aside, deftly avoiding the attack. Lifting up both his hands, he cast a spell. The dark sphere that was produced between his palms looked sharp and vicious. One hit from that orb, and Natsu would surely die.

Lucy kept climbing, stopping when she couldn't go any higher. She looked around for a possible ledge that could help her advance, but found nothing.

She risked a glance back at the newly-established battlefield. Natsu had apparently dodged the hit from the orb, and now the two were exchanging intensifying attacks.

"I know you have more power than that," Zeref called angrily to Natsu. He seemed frustrated that the phoenix wasn't giving his all.

Lucy blinked. She thought Natsu _was_ fighting as hard as he could. The blonde gazed over at him, studying his fighting style. She frowned, suddenly aware of the magic and energy resonating from the two. It was at a much higher level than Lucy had ever come across before.

Of course, Lucy hadn't been able to experience this feeling very often, as her father wouldn't allow her to go farther than the Heartfilia Estate, her home.

 _Not anymore._ The thought slapped her as if it was a physical object. A pang of guilt and homesickness accompanied the thought. She would miss the place where she grew up, but there was hardly anything left of it after Zeref arrived.

That's why she had to run, why she had to escape from Zeref, who was bent on murdering her whole family because of her mother's mutiny.

As if on cue, Zeref's black magic formed at his fingertips, leaking out and to the ground like tar. It killed any living thing it touched, and to Lucy's horror, it only grew. The ground was enveloped in black magic soon, the levels increasing. Up, up, up it climbed, and Lucy gasped, realizing it was coming towards her. _Oh, no!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V**

In a few moments, Zeref's magic would swallow her, feet first. Then it would work its way up until she suffocated.

Lucy turned, desperately searching for another ledge. _There_ has _to be something!_ She heard Natsu's wingbeats behind her. She looked over her shoulder just as the phoenix lifted her up into the air.

For a heartbeat, the blonde thought he would drop her, but he seemed to be much stronger than Lucy had guessed. He rose up higher in the sky, looking down at Zeref with an expression Lucy couldn't read.

"Running away?" a new voice said, a thorny vine whipping past the airborne pair.

Natsu and Lucy looked at the ground in unison. Standing there was a dark-haired demon, holding a book. He had a practiced smirk on his face as he calmly gazed back at them.

"Mard Geer," Zeref greeted with both surprise to see him and disgust that he had interrupted the battle.

"Forgive me," the demon said. "But I would like to lessen your to-do list." When Zeref only replied with a scowl, Mard Geer continued. "Of course, I will leave the phoenix in your dark path of destruction. I will simply dispose of the girl."

Zeref nodded after a pause. "Very well."

"Get those two apart!" Mard Geer ordered, and suddenly a group of demons dropped down from the sky. Lucy had no idea where they came from, but she was panicking.

Natsu bellowed again, his flame swallowing the demons that flew at them. However, they all came out unscathed. They slashed claws and tails at Natsu and Lucy, kicking the phoenix's side on occasion.

Natsu winced at the attacks, but he did his best to defend Lucy and protect her from harm. Lucy felt a few stings of pain, but she wasn't as badly injured as Natsu was. The phoenix was bleeding from several deep cuts, and he was bruised badly.

Deciding not to be a damsel in distress any longer, Lucy pulled out a whip that she had attached to her belt. She swung it back, then swiftly yanked forward, making hard contact with one of the demons. It narrowed its eyes, looking at the cut, then darted towards her.

While Natsu was distracted with the others, the demon hit Lucy on the head, backing away quickly. It was only a moment later that the girl felt the explosion, and her vision failed her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter VI**

What concerned Lucy most was the lack of the phoenix's warmth and touch. Was he okay? _Am_ I _okay?_ She felt sore and unable to move for the longest time, and she couldn't feel her arms or legs. The only thing she felt in her head was sharp pain and a ringing sound.

When she did regain her senses, she opened her eyes. Her vision was a bit blurry, but she could make out the form of the phoenix starting to stand up a little ways from her. He called something to her, but she couldn't hear properly. She almost called back, but she couldn't seem to speak, either. She was just… there.

Slowly, but surely, Lucy was able to make out what Natsu was saying.

"If you can move, you can fight. Come on, Lucy!" the phoenix said, a little closer than before. He looked different now.

He held out his hand. _Wait… HAND?_ Lucy could see the injuries he sustained on his side and torso. She took his hand with some effort, and he helped her up.

"Are you alright?" Natsu asked her, a concerned look on his face. _Face…_

Now Lucy saw what made Natsu look different than before. _He's human!_

"How did you..?" she started to ask, but was interrupted by another explosion. Natsu shielded her from most of the debris.

A dark magic sphere threw itself at Natsu, then another, then another. He was able to burn away the first two, but the last ones remaining he had to dodge. In doing so, he edged away from Lucy.

Taking the advantage of her isolation, the thorny vines attacked from below. They wrapped around her tightly, digging in with sharp pain. Lucy gasped, closing her eyes from the sudden pressure. Mard Geer was closing in, followed by two other demons who were hard on his heels.

Upon hearing the noise, Natsu looked behind him. Lucy heard him mutter, "Crap!" before he turned back to Zeref, his fist igniting. "Don't touch her!"

Zeref smirked, seemingly happy at the sudden burst of anger and increased attacks from Natsu.

"Yes…" the dark mage said, smiling creepily. "Give me all you've got, END!"

"It's _Natsu_!" the pink-haired young man corrected, fire forming around his arms. He lunged forward, punching and kicking Zeref.

While he was busy with that, the demons closed in on Lucy, who was still trapped by the vines. They suddenly got tighter, and Lucy felt the breath escape her. She tried freeing herself, but found that she couldn't move; the vines were wrapping ever tighter around her.

"Don't try to escape," Mard Geer told her. "You'll only waste your energy."

"Can I blow her up yet?" a rather furry demon asked impatiently. He had a tail and two ears, accompanied by claws.

The dark-haired demon sighed, stepping aside. "Very well, Jackal. Have your fun with her." He started walking away, and another dark-haired demon, a female with horns, followed after him. The vines remained, even as the caster disappeared.

Jackal gave Lucy a devilish smirk, raising one paw at her. "Let's see how loudly you can scream, little girl."

Lucy felt a soft touch on her leg, and a moment later she felt the impact. She winced in pain. The demon then touched her thigh, and an explosion was summoned. Lucy screamed, feeling as if her leg would fall off.

Her stomach was next, and then her two shoulders at once. Jackal was about to finish her off with a tap on the head, but Natsu's flames consumed the demon before he could. The vines crumpled to ashes, setting Lucy free.

She felt warm hands pick her up, and she managed to open her eyes enough to look at him. His gaze locked with hers for a heartbeat, then he tore his attention from her. He turned towards the battlefield, the dead and dying forest.

"We've got to get you out of here," he told her softly. "Before Anna's spirit dies."

 _Anna?_ Who was that? Lucy wanted to ask him questions, but he was paying more attention to the battlefield at the moment. She thought she saw his nose twitching, but she discarded the thought.

All of a sudden, the ground shook. Something was coming.

* * *

 **Don't forget to check late next week for chapters 7 and 8!**

 **Will Natsu and Lucy be confronted by more enemies? Will the newcomers be allies? The answer may not be what you expect... or maybe it is.**

 **I hope you're all enjoying _Calling Echoes_ so far! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter VII**

The roar of thunder sounded from the horizon. Natsu looked up at the growing storm cloud. A smile played on his lips.

"We're on our way, Anna," he said to the sky. He looked down at Lucy, smiling so large that the blonde found it hard not to smile back.

Zeref seemed undisturbed by the lightning that struck a nearby tree stump, which was almost completely decayed. He stared at Natsu, hardly sparing a glance at Lucy now.

As the dark mage took a step forward, the lightning struck again, this time revealing a man with a lightning-shaped scar on his face.

The newcomer took in the surrounding battlefield. "Couldn't you defeat them, Natsu?" he asked in a calm voice. "That's not like you."

Natsu looked annoyed. "I've been preoccupied, Laxus!"

"I can see that," the blonde man replied. He turned to the demons that were starting to gather. "I'll help you out a bit, means we're short on time."

The storm cloud above seemed to agree, as it fell to the ground while condensing itself into the form of a young, blue-haired girl. "I'll help, too!"

"Thanks, you two."

 _Natsu must know them well,_ Lucy concluded, as they seemed to have known each other for a long time.

"You should go help them," she found herself saying to him. "Those demons are strong."

"They can manage. Besides," he added. "Who's gonna protect you if I go?"

"I'll be fine," Lucy assured him, unfortunately in vain. Natsu didn't seem convinced. "I can still fight."

"Then I'll fight alongside you." Natsu's words seemed to comfort her, and his warm touch did as well.

"Thanks," she responded, a smile now on her face. She was bruised and injured, but she'd still fight as hard as she could. She had to; she didn't want to let the others down, nor did she want to be a burden.

Natsu put Lucy down gently, seeming hesitant to let her stand when she stumbled. He caught her, helping the girl stand right. When she could carry her own weight, she found her whip and picked it up.

With a smile on her face and an invisible force driving her, Lucy started towards the demons once more. Natsu nearby, the two fought beside Laxus and the girl named Wendy, giving their all.

That was all that they could do.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter VIII**

By the time the four of them managed to defeat the demons and subdue Zeref, they were out of breath. Taking advantage of the foes' occupation, the group fled west.

"I hate running from a fight," Natsu muttered, sitting down when they finally came to a stop near the edge of a cliff.

The sun was just past halfway in the sky, and it beamed down on the four. They found a distinct dip in a hill close by, and they tucked themselves into it.

"We don't like it either," Laxus replied. "But we're running out of time."

"Anna's just hanging on…" Wendy added, her face clouding into worry.

"Who's this Anna you guys are so concerned about?" Lucy asked, feeling a bit awkward when all three sets of their eyes were on her.

"She's… our teacher." Natsu's reply came out hesitant, as if he was unsure of what she was to him. He looked back at Laxus and Wendy for affirmation.

"She's in danger, and only you can save her!" Wendy stood up, balling her hands and raising them both slightly. There was sharp determination in both of her brown eyes — eyes that almost matched Lucy's.

The blonde girl suddenly felt the wave of emotion resonating from the three; she could feel the imperative nature of this mission. She blinked. "But what can I do?"

"Your soul is almost exactly like Anna's. Your power inside is the same, too," Laxus answered, his serious expression not betraying his thoughts.

"And you smell just like her!" Natsu chimed in, his signature grin playing happily on his face. He leaned over to sniff her.

"Perv!" Lucy cried indignantly, whipping around to face away from him, a scowl on her face.

"He's… not exactly wrong," the blue-haired girl said quietly, offering a small smile. "You do smell a lot like Anna."

Lucy was about to say something, but Laxus cut in. "I think we should keep going. We're wasting daylight."

"Right. Ready, Lucy?" Natsu turned to her, a small smile remaining. His black eyes shone with an emotion the blonde couldn't place. Was it affection? They had just met! And yet, if it was affection…

 _I wouldn't exactly say I don't feel it too…_ Something was different about him for sure; it made him stand out among the others. _No, I can't go around having a crush on him! He did save my life a few times…_ But wasn't that just because Lucy had the power to save someone dear to him? She forced herself out of her thoughts, focusing on the pink-haired man again.

He got up, reaching out his hand towards her, his smile contagious. She couldn't help but smile back, taking his warm hand and letting him lead her out of the dip in the hill. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice the blush on her cheeks when he squeezed her hand gently, so Lucy was spared the embarrassment.

"You have a good heart," Natsu told her quietly. "I know it. That's why you'll help us, right?"

Lucy looked at him, then at the other two, then back at him. She parted her lips to answer.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter IX**

"I'll help." Lucy's answer seemed to ring through their heads like a ringing bell announcing the end of a drawn-out war.

"Thank you," Natsu said to her, breaking the silence none of them had known was there.

"But what can I do?" The blonde girl looked perplexed.

"You'll figure it out," Laxus breathed, turning and walking away. "When we get there."

Looking to Natsu for an explanation, Lucy received silence and hardly any eye contact with the pink-haired boy. He simply shook his head dismissively and followed his friend.

Wendy walked beside Lucy. Wanting answers, she asked the blue-haired girl her questions. "Can you tell me more about Anna? What's she like? What's wrong with her?"

"Anna is our teacher, and she's also like a family to us. Laxus, Natsu, and I aren't the only ones, though. We were all orphans when she found us, and we were able to find our adoptive parents thanks to her.

"In a way, she's like a mother figure, too," Wendy added, looking up to the sky as the two girls walked behind the other two. Lucy saw nostalgia in the young girl's eyes.

"Is she sick?"

Wendy gave her an uncertain gaze. "I'm not sure… All I know is that I can sense her soul slipping away. No healer knows what's wrong with her, and I'm afraid we might lose her…"

"You think I can bring her soul _back_?!" Lucy exclaimed, shocked at the girl's nod.

"You _have_ to! I mean, please!"

"I'll… try my best," Lucy replied, feeling sweat form on the side of her face.

Natsu, who had been listening to them, glanced over at Laxus with concern in his eyes. However, his gaze was not returned, as the blonde kept his eyes on the path ahead. Deciding not to press the subject, Natsu did the same, not saying another word.

"What does this Anna girl look like?" Lucy asked Wendy, trying to lighten the mood.

"Actually," the young girl began. "Anna looks a lot like you. And sounds the same, too," she added, wearing a thoughtful expression.

Lucy blinked. So Anna looks like her, sounds like her, _and_ smells like her? _Is she my twin?!_

"S-she's a lot older than you!" Wendy assured her quickly, as if reading her mind.

"Oh," Lucy breathed, not sure how to feel. Honestly, she had mixed emotions about the whole situation.

"It's alright," Natsu called back, as if sensing that the heat waves radiating off the blonde had changed. "Anna's super nice. You'll get along with her!"

 _It's not my acquaintance with her that I'm worried about!_ she almost yelled, the only thing stopping her being Natsu's contagious smile. _He smiles a lot…_

"Y-yeah, sure." Lucy was still feeling upset and confused, but she knew she'd get a better explanation later.

For now, she followed the group, growing excited when, at sundown, they had finally arrived.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter X**

"Hey, they're back!" someone shouted from up ahead.

The ground thundered with many footsteps hurrying their way, and Lucy was surprised to see how many of them there were. At least three dozen people hurried towards Lucy and the others.

Lucy took a step back as they began to crowd around them, mostly looking at her.

"Stand back," a short, blue-haired girl told them, pushing her way to the front. A man with long, spiky black hair followed, with a flying black cat close by.

"Give her room to breathe!" the short girl said again, turning to Lucy with a smile. "My name is Levy! Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too. I'm Lucy," she replied, looking around at the gathered people. "Who are all of you?"

"Fairy Tail," Natsu answered for them, suddenly beside her. Lucy jumped. "That's our guild name."

He rose both of his arms. "Now let's party!"

"Hold on a minute, Natsu." A small, gray-haired man revealed himself from within the crowd. He was probably in his late 60's or early 70's.

"Gramps," Natsu greeted. "What's up?"

"This is no time for games," he reminded him. "Anna is…"

Everyone went silent, intent on listening to the old man.

"Nevermind. You'll see for yourself." He turned to Lucy. "You must be the girl Mavis spoke of — the one who could help Anna."

"Y-yes," the blonde answered, strangely having respect for this stranger. "Nice to meet you, sir."

He gave her a hearty laugh. "No need for formalities. You are our guest, Miss Lucy. My name is Makarov."

"Who is Mavis?" she asked, a puzzled look on her face.

"She is the first master of Fairy Tail, and also regarded as a great spirit that remains here on Earthland to protect us. At times such as this, she lends us her wisdom."

"Can we get going already?" Natsu asked impatiently, his arms crossed.

"Very well," Makarov replied, turning. "Come along."

Lucy followed, being shadowed by the larger group. Wendy smiled at her, which was reassuring. If she trusted Wendy, she could trust all of these people. _I kind of like them,_ she reflected. _Fairy Tail, huh?_

The old man led them to a shack, unbefitting of someone with such high respects. It was old and boxy, but in a way, it felt like home.

"Is this where Anna is?" Lucy found herself inquiring.

"You ask a lot of questions." The blonde whipped around, finding herself face-to-face with a flying blue cat. She shrieked. "Yeah, well you're a freak of nature!"

"Hey, Happy!" Natsu greeted, grinning as he gave the cat a high five.

"While you were gone, I caught a fish! It was thiiiiiis big!" He held out his paws to describe its apparent size. "You should have been there."

"Aw, man!" the pink-haired boy played along. "Guess I'll have to go with you next time. I'll catch an even bigger fish!"

"Yes," said Makarov, answering Lucy's question. "This is where Anna made her home."

"It's also the place in which she will die."

All of them whipped around to face the dark mage Zeref, who stood alone as he swallowed up all the light around him.

Then he spoke. "I believe we have business to finish, Natsu."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter XI**

"After that," Zeref continued. "I'll deal with that Heartfilia girl.

Lucy felt a cold chill run through her body when Zeref's blood red eyes landed on her.

Natsu instinctively stepped in front of her, ready to be her shield if the dark mage were to attack. Lucy felt safer, especially with his warm body so close to hers…

 _Wait a minute_ , Lucy, she told herself fiercely. _You're in the middle of something! Pay attention!_

Zeref chuckled as his demons flew past him, heading towards Anna's shack. In response, everyone jumped to attack, preventing the demons from reaching Anna.

"We won't let you kill her!" Wendy declared.

"Maybe if I destroy what's important to you," Zeref continued, not interested in anyone or anything but Natsu. "You'll fight me to the death."

"What's your deal, man?" Natsu snapped, glaring at the dark wizard. "Why are you so obsessed with me killing you?"

"It's your destiny," came the reply. "You are a demon, after all."

"Shut up," the pink-haired boy fumed. Lucy could feel the heat rise off his skin as though he was preparing to light the dark mage on fire from where he stood.

Zeref continued, not hesitant in any way, shape, or form. "A demon that I have created."

"I said shut up!" Natsu flew forward, now a flaming phoenix. His wings wrapped around Zeref and rapidly engulfed him in red-hot flames.

Meanwhile, Lucy pulled her whip from her side, preparing to fight alongside Fairy Tail. She fought with everything she had, and perhaps even something more.

It wasn't long before Lucy noticed a small demon entering Anna's shack. No one seemed to notice it except her, so she called out to anyone who was listening. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be available to take on the task, as they were already knees deep in battle.

Taking it upon herself, the blonde ran through the battlefield, straight towards the shack. She flung open the door enough for her to fit through, then entered.

It was larger and more homey than what Lucy had imagined. She took a few steps in, jumping at the smallest of sounds. Keeping an eye out for the demon or Anna, she continued forward, the sounds of the battle outside dulled to a point.

Then she saw it. The empty bed which Anna must have been resting in prior to the battle. On the bed sheets was blood — human blood.

 _No… I'm too late!_

* * *

 **Sorry guys, only one chapter this week! Next week, it should be two chapters again. Hope you're enjoying _Calling Echoes_!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter XII**

She tried finding any clues that would help her find where the demon and Anna were, but didn't find either. She searched under the table, under the bed, and above any surface she could find.

Eventually, Lucy heard scratching near the back of the shack. She followed the noise to the demon she had seen before; it was sniffing at the back door, it's claws scratching against the floor as it moved along.

When Lucy's scent was picked up, it turned towards her and hissed. Lucy cracked her whip, hitting the demon a few times.

The demon retaliated and grew in size, it's sharp teeth now sticking out. It charged the blonde, who had little time to react. She braced herself, feeling the breath get knocked out of her chest as she hit the ground with a _thud_.

Lucy pulled herself off the ground, raising her whip. She managed to hit the demon a handful of times, eventually killing it. Its essence leaked out of its fading body with a low growl.

Hearing a noise nearby, the blonde turned, whip raised, ready to attack. Her eyes widened when a woman stood in the back doorway, leaning heavily on the frame. She had blonde hair, matching Lucy's, with the same brown eyes as well. This woman was older, but she seemed to be just as surprised as Lucy was.

"Are… Are you Anna?" Lucy asked, eyes still wide.

"I am," the woman replied. "Are you the girl Mavis…?"

"Apparently," she answered, her shock now replaced with worry. "But what can I do?"

Anna smiled. "You have the power of the stars within you. I can help you dig it up."

"The 'power of the stars'? What does that mean?"

A crash from above interrupted their conversation. The two blondes quickly looked up, avoiding falling debris and meeting the gaze of Zeref.

"It's time to end you," he said. "Anna and Lucy."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter XIII**

Zeref hardly had time to move when a second crash followed. This time, it was an ally.

Laxus and another man Lucy didn't recognize sprung towards the dark mage, attacking him with lightning and poison. Zeref struck them both with a single blow, ripping their clothes slightly with the force of impact and power behind it.

Both of them fell to the ground, clutching their stomachs. Where their clothes had been torn, Lucy could see a black circle on their skin.

 _That's probably what's causing their pain,_ she guessed.

Suddenly, a torrent of wind shot through the shack. Wendy had arrived, her cloud form whipping the air around her so violently that Lucy was afraid her skirt would rip itself off her waist.

For the time being, Zeref seemed occupied. She pulled out her whip, about to make her move, when Anna stopped her.

"Use the power of the stars!" the older woman advised, trying to yell above the sound of rushing wind. "It's in you. You just have to release the magic power!"

Lucy looked at Anna with uncertainty. Turning back to Zeref, Lucy closed her eyes and forced herself to concentrate. She imagined an orb of light within her, and summoned it. Using words she didn't even know she knew, she spoke aloud.

"Open: Gate of the Lion, Leo!"

At once, the celestial spirit came forth, materializing from the light particles rising from Lucy's chest.

"Please, call me Loke," he said with a smile. He rose his fist, light appearing to surround it. He leaped towards Zeref, landing a powerful hit and sending the black mage flying backwards.

"Good job!" Lucy praised him.

"Thank you. After all," Loke began, edging closer to the blonde and taking her hand in his. "I have to impress my lady."

Lucy internally screamed as she blushed. "Wait a second! I'm not your _anything_!"

"You're my master, whom I'll be happy to sign a contract with, means you're a beautiful young woman."

"Huh?" The blonde's eyes widened. "Master?"

"Celestial Spirits, such as Loke, sign contracts with wizards such as yourself. It's an agreement between them to work together." Anna walked over.

"I see. Then, Loke," Lucy concluded. "Want to sign a contract with me?"

"Absolutely," came the answer.

"Alright!" she said. "I'm Lucy."

The sounds of victory rang out from the outside. The battle has left Fairy Tail the winner, and Zeref and his demons were soon gone.

Anna smiled, but was suddenly overcome by a fit of coughing. She coughed up blood, falling to the ground.

"Anna!" Wendy cried, switching to her human form so she could land beside her teacher. "Lucy, help her!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter XIV**

Summoning as much magical power as she could, Lucy hovered over Anna's body. Wendy sat nearby, also concentrating with her healing powers, which Lucy had no idea she had.

It took a lot of time and effort to heal Anna, but even then she still wasn't completely off the hook. At the very least, however, she was alive and in less pain. She looked a lot better than the sickly air she had when Lucy met her, too.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Wendy cried when Anna opened her eyes.

"Oh, child…" the woman said, giving the girl a hug. "I'm alright. Now, go heal your other comrades." She pointed to Laxus and the other man.

"Yes, ma'am!" Wendy hurried over, starting to work on Laxus. Lucy went to help her, but Anna stopped her.

"Check on Natsu for me," she requested. "Please."

Lucy's brown eyes widened at the mention of the fiery boy. _How could I have forgotten about_ _him?_ She had found herself too busy with defending Anna during the battle, she hadn't realized that Natsu didn't stop Zeref when the dark mage came after them.

"Y-Yeah, sure," she told the woman who looked like her, already turning towards the front door. Her legs carried her quickly through the entrance and outside.

 _He was fighting Zeref the last time I saw him, she remembered with a sort of panic rising in her. If Zeref was here inside Anna's shack… Oh, no!_

She made her way through the crowd as they were carrying the injured towards a larger building. Lucy searched for Natsu, eventually finding him being carried by a flying blue cat. _Happy._ The boy was unconscious.

Lucy thought the worst when she saw tears forming in Happy's eyes, threatening to fall. She hurried over, vivid concern in her eyes.

"Happy, what's wrong with Natsu?" she asked, already looking him over for injuries and finding a few large bruises and a noticeable scar on his jaw.

"Natsu… He stopped breathing!"

"No…" Lucy's eyes widened again. "Natsu, get a hold of yourself!"

No reply.

"Natsu… Don't you die on me!"

* * *

 **Only one chapter again this week! ^-^"**

 **I'm thinking about how to properly end CE, though there will be at least a couple more chapters after this one before the story is ended.**

 **I hope you're enjoying CE! Next chapter(s) will be in late next week.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter XV**

Natsu's injuries were tended to, but the boy was still unconscious. It had been two days since the incident, and Lucy wondered if he would ever wake up. _Surely he will,_ she told herself, sitting in a chair next to his bed. _He's Natsu._

"Natsu…" Happy's voice muttered behind her. The blonde looked over her shoulder to hear the rest. "If you die, I'll never forgive you."

 _Neither will I,_ Lucy thought to herself. She turned back to the pink-haired fireball. _Please wake up soon._

As she finished her thought, Anna came in. "He's still unconscious?"

"Yeah…" Lucy answered, not taking her eyes off him. "Do you know if he'll wake up anytime soon?"

"Physically, there's nothing wrong enough to keep him in this state. If my suspicions are correct, there's something bigger going on inside."

Happy sniffed. "What can we do?"

"Pray that something, or someone, brings him back. For now, Lucy, we should focus on your magic," Anna suggested. "When he does wake up, he may not be strong enough to defend himself."

"But he's _Natsu_ ," Happy objected indignantly.

Anna disregarded him. "Let's go, Lucy. I'll teach you all about those celestial beings."

"R-Right." Though she was hesitant to leave his side, Lucy complied.

She followed Anna to a clearing in the nearby woods. It seemed like a peaceful spot to learn new things.

"Alright," the older blonde began, addressing the area around them. "Pick a spot to relax."

Lucy did so, sitting with her legs criss-crossed. It was the center of the clearing, where the light shone brightest. She turned to look back at the older woman, who was smiling at her.

"That's my favorite spot, too," Anna informed her. "I can always find peace there."

Lucy smiled back at her.

"Now," Anna said, commencing the lesson. "Close your eyes and meditate. No matter what, do NOT open your eyes."

Lucy did as she was told. The world soon went black around her when she shut it out. All was quiet, but peaceful, just as the older woman had mentioned.

She listened as she heard the wind whisper barely audible words, and she swore she could hear the sound of a falling leaf passing her ear. The sun's rays hit the girl's face with a comforting warmth, but there was a cold bite on her cheeks following a gentle passing breeze. The clearing smelled of dying flowers, and the ground was cold underneath her. When the wind picked up, Lucy could hear the sound of more falling leaves and their dry crunching noise when they hit the ground or each other.

From somewhere in the distance, she could hear Anna calling, "Summon the celestial spirits from within you!"

Anna's voice was growing fainter, and Lucy suddenly felt outside of herself. Outside of her own body. She listened as the last utterance of Anna's words made their way into her subconscious, and a bright light shone from within.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter XVI**

Lucy managed to summon two celestial spirits this time. The first, named Aquarius, seemed hot headed and stubborn. The second, a fluffy pink-haired girl named Aries, was quite the opposite.

Over the next few weeks, Anna and Lucy trained extensively, and Lucy was able to call forth all twelve celestial spirits. She made contracts with all of them, and focused on gaining more power.

When the ground was covered in thick snow, Lucy decided to go out training by herself. She wanted more power to protect her friends, especially if Zeref and his demons were to come by. She was surprised that for the last few weeks, there had been no sightings of them.

The blonde had a hard time walking in the snow, as it was up to her knees. Still, she was determined. She wanted to get stronger.

Happy joined her this time, but he had complained that she was too heavy. Now, he was flying above her, a red hand print on his cheek.

"Are you sure about this, Lucy?" Happy asked, speaking just above the wind. "There's supposed to be a storm coming."

" _Now_ you tell me!" Lucy grumbled aloud. Then, wearing a stubborn smile, she added, "Well, it's too late now. We're here."

Standing in the snow, Lucy called forth Aquarius. She was the blonde's favorite among all of the spirits, and in a weird way, the mermaid reminded her of her late mother. "Open, Gate of the Water Bearer: Aquarius!"

The celestial spirit appeared immediately, equally irritated as Lucy was happy.

"What now?" Aquarius barked. "I was just finishing my date night with my boyfriend."

"Then why are you upset if you two were done?" Happy chimed in from above. This rewarded him with a twin hand print to match the one Lucy gave him.

"None of your business, cat!" the blue-haired woman snapped, turning back to the blonde. "Now what is this about?"

"I want more power to protect those who are important to me. Please, give me some of your power, Aquarius."

Aquarius regarded her with slight interest, though narrowed her eyes. It was as if the spirit was contemplating whether or not Lucy deserved it.

"Alright," she told the blonde. "I'll lend you some of my power… But what's in it for me?"

"Uhh…" Lucy was obviously caught off-guard by this. "Well, I…"

"Did you honestly think I'd just grant you power for nothing?!" the mermaid snapped again. Annoyance was very apparent on her face.

"W-Well," Lucy said, gulping. "Name your price."

"Don't call on me this day, this day, this day, this day, that day…" Aquarius listed all the days she wanted off. By the time she was finished, Lucy counted almost a half a year in total.

"Got all that?" Aquarius asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yeah…" Lucy muttered, her eyes spinning. _Half a year? Is she crazy?!_ At least the days were a little spread out.

"Good." The celestial spirit seemed happy now. "Then take some of my power." She lifted an arm, and a magical essence leaked from her tattoo and down the length of her arm, melting into Lucy's skin.

Lucy could feel the magic entering her body, as well as the power it carried. "Wow…"

"That's all you're getting," the mermaid told her, arms now crossed. "Don't ask me again."

"Thanks, Aqua-" Before the blonde could finish her sentence, the spirit was gone. "-rius…"

Hesitating, Lucy called forth the magical energy residing in her from the celestial spirit. She found herself changing forms, and looked down when she felt the ground beneath her again. She had a new outfit!

Unfortunately, it was a bit too cold for a swimsuit. She quickly dismissed the magic, and she was wearing her old, warm clothes again.

More importantly, she had learned how to use the celestial spirits' power to her advantage. _Star Dress,_ she thought to herself, proud of the idea. _That's what I'll call it._

"Lucy!" Happy called from above her, and she looked up in time to see the blue cat shot from the sky. A black wave of magic had pierced his wing.

"Happy!" She caught him, holding the cat close and glaring in the direction of Zeref.

"So we meet again," he spoke, glaring back menacingly. "Are you ready to perish?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter XVII**

"I'll never let you win," Lucy told him, still holding Happy close to her chest.

"What a shame," Zeref replied. "Because I'm going to anyway."

"Not if I have anything to say about that!" With a small effort, the blonde summoned a celestial spirit. "Open, Gate of the Lion: Loke!"

A bright light rose from inside of her, and said spirit appeared. "This isn't a way to treat a lady," he told the dark mage, cracking his knuckles. "Let me teach you some manners."

 _If I knew more about how the Star Dress worked, I could have used that instead_ , Lucy thought to herself. _But I also don't want to freeze!_

"We can't let him anywhere near Fairy Tail," she called to Loke. "We have to stop him here before he destroys everything!"

"Got it!" He jumped, landing just short of Zeref, and aimed a chain of punches at his body and face. While dodging most of them, Zeref landed an attack of his own, sending the celestial spirit flying backwards.

"Loke!" Lucy took a few steps forward in the snow, but couldn't reach him in time. Zeref was already charging up his next attack.

The dark sphere killed everything in its path, and sent Loke back to the spirit world. "I'm sorry," was all he could muster to the blonde before his departure.

"Now then, any other toys you'd like to send out?" the dark mage asked her, taking a single step forward and calling forth his own power again.

Lucy glared at him. _I'll risk it._ "Star Dress!"

In a moment, she was dressed in different clothes; they were that of Aquarius' power. She wasn't sure what exactly she could do, but she had to try something.

The blonde moved her hands, attempting to call forth the power that was given to her. Water appeared at her fingertips, slowly engulfing her hands.

Freaking out when the liquid kept ascending up her arms, it eventually stopped at her shoulders, leaving the girl sighing in relief.

She had put Happy down, and was now facing Zeref on her own.

"Is that all you've got?" He shook his head in disappointment. "I expected more of Layla's daughter and Anna's descendant."

This information took a moment to process, but Lucy's eyes soon widened. "Anna's… what?"

"You didn't know?" The dark mage's red eyes stared blankly at her, only a hint of surprise in them. "I almost feel sorry for your ignorance."

"You're going to feel sorry for yourself pretty soon!" Lucy retorted, her nervousness fading away, replaced with newfound confidence.

"Oh? I'd like to see that."

In an attempt to call forth her magic, Lucy raised a water-covered arm. Unfortunately, the water stayed where it was, a small ripple or two the only sign of movement.

She heard a bout of laughing start from in front of her. She looked up, shock hitting her almost as hard as the punch to the gut. _What… speed!_

"Nice try, but you'll die before mastering it," the dark mage commented, pulling his fist away from her stomach as she coughed up blood. The spot he had hit started turning black and hurt like the devil, making Lucy scream with pain.

Zeref grabbed her hair as she began to fall to the ground, lifting her up. "Choose the next spot you want hit," he said, raising his fist.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter XVIII**

Zeref's hand slowly raised to the blonde's head. He paused, his hand hovering above her forehead.

"I could end this quickly for you," he said emotionlessly. "But that would be too easy. You like running, don't you? I'll kill you slowly, like a cat playing with a mouse before it dies."

Lucy glared at him with narrow eyes, but was speechless, her consciousness fading. She felt the pressure being taken away from her hair as the dark mage threw her up into the air.

She also felt the explosion on her stomach, with dark magic clinging to her body, and growing. It enveloped her just as another explosion hit her. _This is it_ , she thought. _This is as far as I go._

She collided with something. _A rock_ , she concluded. _Or the ground._ But it wasn't either of those. It was warm and comforting… something was familiar about it. She almost gasped with surprise when the darkness that had nearly swallowed her was being burnt off, chunk by chunk.

"Nat… su…" she murmured, opening one eye to look up at him. The boy had caught her, and was now holding her princess-style. He didn't meet her gaze — he was busy glaring at Zeref.

"Natsu!" Happy cried, standing up as best as he could. His wings were gone, but he was okay, other than a few bruises. "You're awake!"

Ignoring Happy at the moment, Natsu closed his eyes and knelt down in the spot where the snow had suddenly melted away, setting Lucy down gently. Instead of laying the blonde's back on the ground, he propped her up in a sitting position on his one raised knee. He lowered his head so that his cheek rested on hers. "Thank goodness," he whispered in her ear, but it seemed as if he was half talking to himself. "I made it in time…"

"Natsu…" Lucy was surprised at his sad yet relieved tone, but was happy to hear his voice again.

He drew back, looking fiercely at her with smoldering eyes. "Don't _ever_ do that again."

"Huh?" She was confused. "Do what again?"

"I'm not letting you die. Not on my watch!" He set her down, preparing himself for a fight. "Happy!"

"Aye, sir!" The blue cat ran over to him and, with some effort, summoned his wings again. Happy then picked Natsu up, flying above the snow. "Ouch! When did your body get so hot?!"

"After I woke up," Natsu answered nonchalantly, staring down at Zeref, who returned the gaze.

"What on Earthland were you dreaming about?!" Happy exclaimed.

Natsu smiled. "Enough power to defeat _him!_ " He pointed down at the dark mage. "This time, I'll end this!"


End file.
